Weber State University announced on March 20 that the annual Dixon Awards will be presented to Blake Nielson, a professor of professional sales, and an administrative specialist who also teaches Japanese. The awards recognize faculty and staff for their excellence in teaching, mentoring, scholarship, and service.
The Dixon Awards are named after President H. Aldous Dixon and have been given since 1970 to honor those who go above and beyond in supporting students at Weber State University. This year’s recipients will be recognized during a ceremony scheduled for March 23 in the Hurst Center’s Dumke Hall.
Blake Nielson serves as the Alan E. Hall Endowed Professor in the Department of Professional Sales. He has focused his career on helping students persist through graduation and secure meaningful careers. As department chair, he eliminated departmental course fees by securing donor support so that students would not face extra financial burdens. Nielson also enhanced scholarship opportunities, modernized learning environments, and expanded hands-on experiences to improve student success.
A key part of Nielson’s leadership has been developing internal sales competitions as structured learning experiences for students. He created entry-level and account management competitions judged by industry professionals, giving students practical experience and exposure to employers. He also coaches students for regional and national competitions to help them build professional networks.
Nielson’s research centers on sales education, compensation equity, and experiential learning; his work is published in peer-reviewed journals and informs his teaching methods. Before joining academia, he worked in professional sales and leadership roles.
Weber State University advances community transformation through civic engagement and public service according to the official website. The university utilizes a campus located on the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains according to the official website. It focuses on educating diverse students to transform lives through supportive learning environments according to the official website. As Utah’s first comprehensive regional university according to the official website, Weber State operates under state authorization to confer degrees according to the official website.
The university provides educational offerings such as teaching, research, experiential learning, and civic engagement according to the official website. Located in Ogden, Utah, it supports student growth through individualized pathways while promoting values like creativity and belonging according to the official website.